Automatic vending-machine.



G. D. SERUM.

AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4, 1910.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

)fz fimssas G. D. SHRUM.

AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR L, 1910.

1,046,502, Patented De0.10,1912.

8 SHEETSSHEBT 2.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3 Wfizwaas STATES PATN GEORGE D. SERUM, OF TORONTO,ONTARIO,'CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO RIQHARD THORNE, OF TORONTO,ONTARIO, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC VENDING-MACHINE.

oaaaoe.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

'12; all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. SHRUM, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of the city of Toronto, countypf York, Province ofOntario, in the Domlnion of Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Vending-Machines, of which the following aspecification. i

The invention relates to improvements in automatic vending machines, asdescribed in the following'specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings that form. part of the same.

The invention consists essentially in the novel construction andarrangement of parts, whereby the goods are contained in 1n-' dividualpockets and the contents of one pocket are delivered for each sale.

The objects of the invention are, to obviate the necessity of having thegoods specially made to an exact size and shape and packed in individualpackages, andto devise a machine, simple as to its parts, positive inits operation and in which the goods to be sold may be placed in bulkform and disposed of in definite portions for each sale.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device showing thetop cover in a raised positionand partly bro en away.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the machine with the front casingremoved, some of the parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a perspectivedetail of a portion of the casing and some of its operating parts. Fig.4 is a.

front elevational view of the coin receiving device and co-acting parts,the front plate of said coin receiving portion being broken away. Fig. 5is a perspective detail of a portion of the pocket supporting membershowing the pockets secured .to the face.

thereof. Fig.6 is a detail plan-view of the plun er and coin operatingmechanism. Fig. isa sectional detail of a portion of the frame showingthe means for closing the opening through which the goods aredischarged. Fig. 8 is a perspective detail view showing a slightlymodified form of stop mechanism.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the main casing of the machine, theupper portion 2 thereof being circular in form and having an annularflange 2 extending laterally therefrom. The lower portion 3 of thecasing 1 extends downwardly from the circular portion 2 and flaringoutwardly at the bot tom rests within the flanged base 4 and is securedto said base in any suitable manner. 5 is an opening in the top side ofthe flange of the upper circular portion 2 of the casing. V 6 is anupstanding narrow flange projecting upwardly from the back ofthe casing,1 and extending a short distance to each side of the opening 5.

- 7 is a lo formed integral with the flange 2 at one si e of the opening5.

8 is the front cover of the machine, having the upper circular portion 9formed with a flange IO adapted to fit over the edge of the flange ofthe main casing and havingan upstanding portion 11 corresponding withthe flange 6 on the casing 1 and a central lug 12 projecting upwardlyfrom the portion 11,.'said lug having a hole therethrough.

- 13 is a cover having a hinge portion 14 pivotally connected to the lug7 by a suitable,

pm and also having a slot 15 in the top thereof through which the lug 12extends when said cover is in its lowermost position. The cover 13completely closes in the opening 5 in the main casing and is secured inplace by a suitable padlock havingits hasp inserted through the orificein the lug 12.

The lower portion 16 of the front cover extends downwardly into the base4 and is formed with an arc shaped opening 17 at the lower edge, saidopeningspanning the gup shaped receptacle portion"l8 of said ase.

19 is a display receptacle formed on the front face of the cover 13having a glass front to exhibit the goods that are being sold in thedevice.

20 is an opening in the flange of the main casing 1 at the bottomthereof, said opening leading toa chute 21, said chute in turn leadingto the cup shaped receptacle 18 in the base 4 and conveymg the. goodsdeliv-.

cred thereinto to said receptacle.

22 is a disk havin a central hub 23 journaled upon the stu 24 centrallyarranged and projecting inwardly from the back of the casin 1. The disk22 is of sli htly smaller diameter than the interior of the casing 1 andturns freely therein and is formed with aplurality of orifices 25 spacedequidistant adjacent to its outer edge.

26 are pins forming part with or secured to the disk 22 and extendingoutwardly therefrom to the opposite side from the hub 23 and spacedequidistant adjacent to the outer edge thereof.v I

. 27 are sheet metal casings each formed with two sides anda'bottomportion and a downwardly extending lug 28 having an orificethrough the end thereof and an out-- wardly projecting lug 29 extendingthrough the orifices 25. The casin s are formed with their outer ed esarrange in radial relation so that they extending into the threadedorifices 30 in the disk 22 and the outer portions being secured by thelugs 29 extending through the orifices 25 and flanged over on theoutside. A plurality of radially arranged pockets are thus formed on thedisk 22, each separate and distinct from the other and the outer edgesof the pockets are arranged to swing very close to the inner surface ofthe annular flanged portion of the main casing 1 so that small candies,peanuts, pop corn and such like articles may be placed in the pocketswithout being wrapped u and held therein by the annular flange 0 thecasing 1, the pockets being filled through the upper opening 5 in saidflange and the disk rotated to allow the filling of all of the pockets.

31 is the coin chute extending through the flange of the casing 1adjacent to the top opening. The chute 31 extends angularly inward fromits opening for a short distance and then extends vertically downward,again turning angularly inward and leading at a gentle angle to a pairof passages 32 and 33 arranged side by side and'extending downward in aslightly backwardly' sloping direction, that is to say, slopingangularly slightly off they perpendicular toward the entrance opening ofthe chute.

34 is .a permanent magnet supported from the chute 31 and forming thebottom of the gently sloping incline leading to the passages 32 and 33.The rib 35 dividing the passages 32 and 33 terminates below the upperterminal end of the magnet 34.

36 is a lip at the bottom end of the passage 32 curving outwardly.

37 is a plate covering the chute 31 having a plurality of perforationstherein. The pe culiar formation of the chute 31, together with the coinoperating mechanism, prevents fraudulent operation of the machine. Thecoin is carried into the machine on the short step incline at theentrance of said chute. The inward travel is arrested by theperpendicular portion and the coin drops upon the edge, of the magnet 34and travels downward on the gentle incline. If the coin is t snuglytogether in a circle, the lugs 28 being secured by suitable screws theproper weight, the impetus given in its passage so far, throws it overthe top end of the rib 35 so that itdrops down the passage 33, but if itis heavy it will roll down the passage 32, or if an iron washer oranything of a like nature is dropped in, the magnet exerts suflicientpull upon it to hold it from jumping across the opening to the passage32 and falling down the passage 33.

38 and 39 are brackets connected together by the cross bar 40 andsupported from the back of the casing 1 below the circular portion bythe studs 41.

42 are horizontal slots formed in the front faces of the brackets 38 and39.

43 is a plate secured by suitable screws to the face of the bracket 38and coveringin the slot 42 therein.

44 is a plate secured by suitable screws to the bracket 39 and having alaterally exending arm 45 and a'downwardly extending portion 46, saiddownwardly extending portion having an outwardly bent lip portion 47 atthe bottom end.

48 is the plunger bar slidably supported in the horizontal slots in thebrackets 38 and 39 and extending outwardly through a slot 49 in theframe 1, said bar having a longitudinal slot 50 arranged therein. Theplunger 48 is formed with an upwardly extending portion 51 adjacent toone end of the slot 50 and outwardly projecting bosses 52 and 53, saidbosses having suitably threaded screw holes therein.

54 is a plate rigidly secured to the outer faces of the bosses 52 and 53by screws and held from the outwardly extending portion of the plunger48 a sufiicient distance to allow the desired coin to enter between saidplunger and the inner side of said plate.

55 is a bar slidably arranged in the slots in the brackets 38 and 39 tothe inside of the plunger 48 and having'an upwardly extending portion 56arranged about mid-way of its length, said upwardly extending portionhaving a projecting portion 57 formed with a rounded upper edge.

58 is a pin secured to the bar 55 and extending through the slot 50 inthe plunger 48, said pin being so arranged that when the plunger and bar55 are in their normal position, the distance between the inner Side ofsaid pin. and the boss 52 is a shade smaller than the diameter of thecoin intended to operate the machine. The coin drops down through thepassage 33 into the receptacle formed by the plunger 48 and plate 54 andstriking against the sloping surface of the boss 53 falls between theboss 52 and pin 58 and is stopped thereby. The coin thus forms anoperating connection between the plunger and bar 55 so that when theplunger is pushed inwardly, said bar moves with it in an inwarddirection.

59 is a spring secured to the end of the lateral arm 45 and to asuitable pin extending outwardly from the plate 54 said spr ng holdingthe plunger to. its normal position.

60 is a lug projecting outwardly from the face of the plate 54.

61 is a pivotal arm having a boss at one end thereof pivoted on a pin 62secured to an extension arm 63 from the bracket 39. .The arm 61 isformed with a notch 64in its under edge adapted to receive the lug 60 onthe plate 54. .The arm 61 is held in engagement with said lug 60 by aspring 65, at one end secured to the lip 47 and at the other end securedto said arm.

66 is an arm rigidly secured tot-he boss on V the arm 61 and extendingupwardly therefrom and adapted to engage the pins 26vproj'ecting fromthe disk 22 to arrest the movement of said disk in one direction.

67 is .an arm pivotally supported from the upward extension of the bar55, sald arm 67 having a hookshapedouter end 68. The

arm 67 is spring held upwardly by a spring 69 supported from the chute31 and operates as a ratchet to turn'the disk 22 as hereinafterdescribed.

70 is a lug projecting downwardly from the bar 55 and having the pin 71extending outwardly therefrom.

7 2 is a spiral spring secured atone end to the lug 70 and at the otherend to the downwardly extending portion 46 of the plate 44.

73 a bar extending from the bracket 38 to the bottom of the chute 31,being rigidly secured to said chute and forming a brace therefor. p

74 is a lug projecting outwardly from the bar 7 3 adjacent to where itis secured to the chute.

75 is an arm pivotally supported upon the screw 76 secured in a suitablelug on the side of the chute 31. The lower end of the arm 7 5 engagesthe pin 71 and the upper endof said arm projects upwardly through theopening 5 in.the flange 2 in the circular portion of the main casing.

77 is a lug projection from the inside of the arm 75 adjacent to itsupper end.

78 is a latch member pivotally secured to :1 lug 79 extending from thetop side of the chute 31, said latch member having the notch 80 in itsunderside and formed with an ofi'set end 81, said ofiset end having asloping underside adapted to engage the lug 77 from the arm 75.

82 is a spiral spring holding the latch 78 to engage the pins 26 on thedisk 22.

83 is a lever pivotally supported from a lug 84 extending from the sideof the chute 31, one end thereof being adapted to swing in between thefront and back plates of said chute and closethe passage to said chute.

85 is a pin secured to the disk 22 and adapted to engage the ofiset end86 of the lever 83, to tilt said lever and close the said chute. Thespring 82 connected at one end to the latch 78 is connected at the otherend 7 to the lever 83 and holds said lever normally clear of the chute.

87 is a shield supported from the cross bar 40 and extending underneaththe coin receiving chamber in the plunger, guiding the coins into thecoin receptacle in the'base of the machine arranged to each side of thechute 21.

88 is a pin rigidly secured in the bar 55 and extending inwardlyimmediately beneath the annular flange of the upper circular portion ofthe casing 1.

89 is a leaf pivotally supported on the pin 88 and having a downwardlyextending spur 90 adapted to engage the side of the -wall of the chuteleading from the said upper circular portion of the casing 1 and havinga notch 91 in its forward. edge to receive the edge of the annularflange.

- In the operation of this device, a coin is placed in the mouth of thechute 31 and the said coin drops down the vertical portion and falls onthe upper side of the magnet 34. The coin then rolls down the inclinededge of the magnet and jumps across the partition or rib 35 and dropsdown the passage 33 and into the receptacle formed on the plunger 48.The coin is arrested and held in the receptacle between the pin 58 andthe boss 52 as previously described. The plunger 48 is then pushedinwardly and the bar 55 carried with it through the medium of the coinresting edgewise between the boss 52 and pin 58. The longitudinalmovement of the bar 55 carries the pivotal arm 67 with it and said armsprings downwardly under the next succeeding pin 26 on the disk 22, andthe hook shaped portion immediately springs up and engages the said pin.The plunger is then released and is returned to its normal position bythe spring 59 and the bar 55 is also returned to its normal position bythe spring 72.' As the plunger 48 returns to its normal position, thelug 60 slides along the underside of the pivotaLarm 61 and as the saidplunger reaches the limit of its return movement, and the notch 64registers with the lug 60, the spring 65 pulls the said arm downwardly,consequently tilting the arm 66 and throwing the outer end thereof clearof the pins 26 on the disk 22.

- The return movement of the bar 55 carries the arm 67 with it and thehook shaped outer end 68 rotates the disk 22. As the bar 55 approachesthe limit of its return movement, the rounded portion of the projection57 engages the underside of the arm 66, throw ing it back to its normalposition and en-j gaging one of the pins on the disk. The movement ofthese parts is very sharp so that the arm 66is withdrawn from engagementwith one of the pins of the disk and returned immediately to engage thenext succeeding pin as the arm 67 rotates the disk. It will therefore beseen that the disk is moved, upon each movement of the plunger, just thedistance between two of the pins and as these pins are arranged on thedisk to correspond with the number of the pockets supported on saiddisk,the said disk will be moved to bring the next succeeding pocket over theopening in the bottom of the circular flange 2 of the main portion ofthe casing. The leaf 89 closing the opening in the bottom of said maincasing is moved clear of the said opening simultaneously with the returnof the bar 55 and the contents of the pocket are discharged into thechute leading therefrom and delivered into the pocket shaped receptaclein the base. As soon asthe plunger is released, after being pushed in,the coin is immediately released and falls into the coin receptacle inthe base of the machine.

It will be readily seen that unless the coin placed in the machine is ofthe proper dimensions it will not lodge in the coin receptacle in theplunger, as the pin 58 is arranged just the proper distance away fromthe boss 52 to hold the coin just about at its center. If the coin isonly slightly smaller it will pass between the said boss and pin,therefore the inward movement of the plunger will not move-the bar 55.

If iron washers or slugs of heavier weight than the proper coins areplaced in the machine they'will drop upon the magnet in the same manneras the coin and if the slug is iron, the attraction of the magnetretards its movement down the inclined edge and it rolls over the cornerof said magnet and drops down the passage 32, being thrown clear of themechanism by the lip at the bottom of said passage. Slugs of lead orsuch like material, if heavier than the proper coin, will not clear therib 35 and consequently fall down the passage 32. The pivotal arm 7 isspring held in engagement with the pins 26 on the disk 22 as describedand prevents the disk turning backwardly while the pivotal arm 67 ismoving forwardly to engage the next succeeding pin prior to turning thedisk and said arm 78 merely springs upwardly and allows the disk torotate with the return movement of the bar 55.

The machine may be operated in the manner described until the contentsof the last pocket have been delivered and as the disk rotates to bringthe last pocket delivering goods into its proper .position, the pin 85projecting therefrom engages the offset end of the lever 83 tilting saidlever on its pivot and swinging the forward end thereof across the mouthof the chute, thus preventing the placing of coins in the machine afterit is emptied.

In order to refill the machine the cover 13 is unlocked and swung backupon its arm 66 is thus moved clear of the pins 26 and as the arm 67acts as a ratchet, the disk may be turned freely and each of thecompartments or pockets secured to said disk filled with oods to besold. The swinging of the arm 5 and the'ret'raction of the bar 55 movesthe leaf 89 to its closed position, the spur 9O abutting the side of thechute and swinging the front end of said leaf close up to the closedposition shown in Fig. 7. The leaf 89 forms a. continuous annular flangeof the main casing so that the goods are held securely in theirrespective pockets as the disk is rotated.

On the completion of the filling of the pockets,.the arm 75 is thrownback to its normal position releasing the latch member 78 and allowingthe bar 55 to move back to its normal position, said bar re-setting thelocking arm 66. The machine is then ready for operation.

In Fig. 8 a slight modification of the means for throwing the arm 66back to engage the pins 26. In this form the arm 61 is elongated andformed with an enlarged end 91 having a-beveled front edge 92 slopingbackwardly from the top edge. 93 is a horizontal lug projecting from thelug 70 upon which the lower edge of the end 91 rests, while the machineis idle. On the inward movement of the'plunger 48 the lug 93 is movedfrom under the bottom edge ofthe portion 91 of the arm 61'and when thesaid arm 61 is dropped, on the return of the plunger, to move the arm 66free of the pin 26, the sloping edge 92 engages the lug 93. The lug 93,on the return movement of the bar 55 engages the sloping edge-92 of thearm 61 and swings said arm upwardly, thus returning the arm 66 to itsoriginal position immediately the bar 55 begins its return movement. Thearm 66 is thus returned to intercept the next pin and stop the rotationof the disk. This means for operating the stop arm 66 is more positivethan the means previously described.

A machine such as described is very sim; ple and there are no delicateparts which will get out of order easily. The vending of articles inbulk form makes possible the vending of articles of various shapes andsizes and therefore effects a considerable saving in labor and materialsand also allows the user to change the classof goods to be sold, atwill.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In an automatic vending machine, thecombination with a frame and a rotary goods containing member having aplurality of: lateral pin projections arranged on one of its side faces,of a member slidably arranged in said frame and spring held to itsnormal position, a hook shaped pawl member pivotally supported on saidslidable member and adapted to engage said pin projections and to rotatesaid goods container with the return movement of said spring actuatedslid able member, a pivotal stop arm adapted to be moved into the pathof said pin projections to arrest the movement of said goods container,and means for operating said slidable member.

2. in an automatic vending machine, the combination with the frame and arotary goods containing member having a plurality of lateral pinprojections arranged on its side face, of a member slidably arranged insaid frame, an arm pivotally secured to said slidablemember having ahook shaped end adapted to engage said pin projections to rotate saidrotary member, a stop arm ivotally supported from the frame and a a tedto normally engage one of the pins 0 the rotary member, spring means forwithdrawing said stop arm from engagement with said pins, means securedto said slidable member for returning said stop arm to its normalposition, and means for controlling the operation of said slidablemember.

3. in an automatic vending machine, the

combination with the frame and a rotary goods containing member having aplurality of lateral pin projections arranged on its side face, of amember slidably arranged in said frame, means operatively connected withsaid slidable member adapted toengage the pin proj ections on saidrotary memher to rotate said member, a plunger adapted to operate saidslidable member having a lug projecting therefrom, a pivotal stop armadapted to engage, said pins to limit the movement of said rotarymember, said stop arm having a notched arm secured thereto and adaptedto rest on said lug, and means secured to said slidable member forlifting said notched arm to disengage the lug of said plunger from thenotch therein.

4. in an automatic vending machine, the combination with the frame and arotary goodscontaining member having a plurality of lateral pinprojections arranged on its side face, means for rotating said rotarymember, means for limiting the rotation of said member, a spring heldratchet member adapped to prevent rotary member, and a pivotal leveradapted to move said limitin means out of operation and to move saidspring held ratchet arm out of engagement with said pins.

Signed at the city of Toronto, county of York, Province of Ontario, inthe Dominion of Canada, this 24th day of March, 1910.

GEQRGE S.

Witnesses H. Dnnmson, E. Heron.

the backward movement of said I

